The use of shaving aids on razor blades to provide lubrication benefits during the shave is known. See e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,121,754; 6,298,558; 5,711,076; 5,134,775; 6,301,785; and U.S. Patent Publ. Nos. 2009/0223057 and 2006/0225285. These shaving aids are also commonly referred to as lubrication strips or lubrication members. These types of lubrication strips have been used for years in the shaving industry. The strips are typically extruded making them very cost effective. They may also be extruded in two or more colors to provide both a visual and a functional benefit. The visual benefits being limited by the capabilities of the extruder.
Extruded lubrication members are typically formed of a solid polymeric matrix. The solid polymeric matrix includes a water-soluble polymer and a water-insoluble polymer. The water-insoluble polymer provides the lubricating member with structural integrity. The amount of water-soluble polymer in the lubrication member is limited by the need for structural integrity provided by the water-insoluble polymer. This balance inherently limits the amount of water-soluble polymer in the lubrication member.
Different structures for delivering lubrication benefits have also been attempted. One such structure is a reservoir that is attached to the razor cartridge. The reservoir contains a lubricant in dry form. The skin engaging surface of the reservoir includes a plurality of apertures. The apertures allow water to enter the reservoir. Upon entering the reservoir, the water interacts with the dry lubricant to create a lubricant which flows out from the reservoir through the apertures to provide a lubricant to the user during shaving. The reservoir provides a support structure for the lubricant allowing it to be delivered to the user during the shave. While such reservoirs do provide structural support for the lubricant, they present the problem of high cost and assembly disadvantages compared to extruded lubrication strips.
It is an object of the invention to provide a lubrication member with a printed support structure to provide structural integrity for the lubricating member without the high cost and complexity associated with a reservoir.